Coming of Age

Coming of Age is an important theme in literature and in the book "Althea and Oliver." This means the transition period in which a child becomes a young adult. There is no set age for this transition because it is different for each character. Some characters reach young adulthood through the natural progression of age and maturity while some children face traumatic situations which essentially force them to grow up more quickly than their peers.

In literature, Coming of Age usually features a protagonist who struggles with a belief system or other challenge in order to begin to identify as an adult. In "Althea and Oliver," both of the main characters come of age as their relationship changes dramatically by the end of the story. Althea and Oliver have been friends since childhood and have been inseparable, almost to the point of exclusivity. When...